


Time Capsule

by Criminalmind1927



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Hopeful Ending, Infidelity, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 17:01:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Criminalmind1927/pseuds/Criminalmind1927
Summary: Rhett and Link find an old time capsule of theirs. And they unearth so much more than old memories.





	Time Capsule

**Author's Note:**

  * For [out_of_nowhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_of_nowhere/gifts).

> Prompted one shot from out_of_nowhere 
> 
> She gave me: Time capsule. 
> 
> I give you: angsty, emotional smut.
> 
> No beta for this one, so be kind. 😉😉
> 
> Tumblr is @criminalmind1927 - Slide into my DMs, yo! I adore talking to you guys and taking prompts and requests!! ❤️❤️❤️

* * *

“What the crap??”

Rhett’s eyes blinked open and he flew off the couch and ran down the loft ladder to seek out the cause of the odd outburst.

“What? What? Link? What? Are you ok??”

Link sat at his desk, smiling ear to ear as he opened the mail,

“Looka this, Rhett!”

He opened the flaps of the cardboard shipping container and held up the contents: a rusty… something. It was a little larger than a shoe box, but it was covered in dirt and large orange rust stains. Rhett looked at the filthy item with a large amount of skepticism, 

“Tetanus. You’re showing me how you got Tetanus.”

“Geez, I can't believe you don't remember this- It’s our time capsule, dumbnut!”

“Time capsule…”

“Yeah! We made it the same day we did the blood oath!” Rhett started to remember...

“That thing is still intact after 20 years? Wait… why… how do you have it?”

“Lewis sent it over. They’re extending the guest bedroom.”

Rhett continued to look confused. Link rolled his eyes, 

“I hid it in the walls of the house- come on! Why aren’t you excited! Let’s open it!” Link was literally bouncing up and down in his chair. Rhett chuckled and took a seat next to him. 

Link tried to pry the box open with his bare hands, but Rhett’s hands quickly shot out and covered them to prevent the accident waiting to happen.

“Woah, Link. I wasn’t joking about the tetanus. Lemme grab a screwdriver or something.”

By the time Rhett returned, Link had flattened the cardboard box on the floor, protecting the surrounding areas from the dirt and grime of the 2 decade old memory box, which was placed in the center.

Link sat on the floor, shifting with energy. Rhett couldn’t help but smile when he looked at his friend- he looked 14 again. 

“Took ya long enough! Let’s open this sucker!”

Rhett joined Link on the floor and pried the box open. After a few attempts the lid flew off.

“Eureka!” Link exclaimed as his hands dove into the box. 

The boys laughed and cooed over the silly items they chose to save as teenagers,

“The bottle from our strawberry wine!”

“Our mix tapes!”

“My old soccer jersey!”

“How many polished rocks did you put in here??” 

The lay the items out, reminiscing with stories about the corresponding treasures. A half hour later, they were nearing the bottom of the box, picking out the flatter, more delicate items last. 

“Oh wow…” Link held up the brittle pages. “These are our mythical beasts….” 

Rhett’s eyes went wide, 

“Woah. I can’t believe we kept these…” Rhett’s eyes sparkled, “We should do something with these. Frame ‘em or something.” 

“Yeah.” Link had a lump in his throat. Rhett placed a warm hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, bo. We’re almost done. No tears.” Link nodded, 

“Yeah, no. I’m fine.”

They took out a few more letters, notes, and finally at the bottom of the box- a few discolored photos.

“Look! That’s us at Heather’s 8th grade birthday party!”

“And you at your basketball tournament!”

“And….” the last photo was held up. They stared in silence for a few moments. It was Rhett smiling wider than he ever had, pointing the camera at himself. Link was kissing his cheek, his lips slightly upturned in a smile. 

“You remember this?” Link’s voice was quiet. Rhett responded with a small,

“Yeah…”

“We were scared to get it developed.”

“Yeah.”

“Thought that people might think-”

“Yeah.”

Rhett heard a sniff. He looked up from the picture to his best friend. 

“Link?”

Link was breathing hard through his nose, trying so very hard to hold back the tears. 

“Link, talk to me.” 

It was futile. Link let the tears flow as he crawled over on all fours to wordlessly request to be held. Rhett gathered him up without question. He tucked Link’s head under his own, resisting the urge to kiss the top of it, because now… now it felt...

“Talk to me.” Rhett repeated. 

“It just... it just always seemed like we had time...” Rhett’s brow creased,

“Time? Time for what?” 

At Link’s silence, he pulled back to look at Link’s face. The two men shared a meaningful look. 

They didn’t need to say it. They had spent the last 35 years denying it. 

“Link, I…”

“I just… I thought it would be us getting married…” Rhett stiffened.

“Link, stop.”

“Why wasn’t it?”

“Link.”

“What wasn’t it us, Rhett?” Link’s volume was rising. Rhett’s mind was racing. “Rhett, I love-”

“Link!! Don’t!!” Rhett stood up abruptly and Link shrunk back. “We made our choice, god damn it! We can’t go back and change it!!”

Link nodded, already knowing this to be the answer.

“It’s too late.” Rhett panted.

Link nodded again. Sobbing pitifully. Rhett softened immediately, his voice gentle, 

“God damn it. I’m… I’m sorry I shouted, bo.”

Link stared at the floor, gathering his knees in close to his chest.

“Shit. No, Link… I’m sorry. Stop…” Rhett knelt down and gently pulled Link’s arms off his knees. 

“I didn’t mean….” he sighed heavily and gently pet Link’s face, “Come sit with me?” Link nodded but didn’t move. Rhett stood and waited for Link to follow.

“Come on, Link.” Link didn’t move. “Ok, bo. I got you.” Rhett bent down and lifted his best friend into his arms and struggled to the couch. He lay them down face to face on the leather couch. Rhett’s arms encircled Link, while the smaller man’s hands gripped Rhett’s t-shirt.

Link cried softly in Rhett’s arms, sniffing and hiccuping into his now wet t-shirt. They lay there until the crying subsided and the sun set in the window. Rhett spoke up, 

“I’m sorry, Link.” He took a heavy breath. “It should’ve been us.”

Link had stopped crying a while ago, but he stayed deadly silent to make sure he heard correctly. “We should’ve said ‘screw you’ to everyone and just been happy. But we were so scared, bo. I… I should've been braver…. I should’ve-” 

Link cut him off with a kiss. A kiss that meant everything. Rhett sighed and held his friend even closer. They had stolen a few kisses as teenagers, but Link was a man now- with his jaw strong, stubble on his cheeks, his lips just as soft. While the kiss felt different, the warm feeling in Rhett’s chest had not changed at all in the last 25 years. He gently introduced his tongue to the kiss and was met full force with Link’s. They kissed slow and desperate until Link was crying so hard he couldn’t continue. 

Rhett sat them up and wiped the tears. He had no words of comfort. It was already too late for them.

They sat on the couch, foreheads touching, holding each other. Rhett lifted his head to regard the man in front of him, the man that had always been _ right in front of him. _

“Link, can I touch you? Just once?”

Link's eyes were closed as he continued to cry, but he managed to pull Rhett in for a harsh and fiery kiss. Rhett’s brow furrowed as his hands came up to gently hold the sides of Link’s face, his palms becoming wet with his friend’s tears. Link pulled away from the kiss slowly and opened his eyes. He pawed at Rhett’s bearded face and nodded his head, 

“Please... I need to feel this at least once.”

They crashed into each other again. Link pressing Rhett’s back into the couch and straddling the taller man as they continued their onslaught of affection. The men’s hands roved over the other’s strong body, touching every inch they had forbade themselves from touching for the last 35 years. They removed each other’s shirts quickly and with ease. 

“Oh god... Link.” 

“Rhett, Rhett, Rhett.” Link breathlessly chanted.

Link kissed Rhett’s neck and behind his ear, biting the delicate skin gently- sending chills up and down his spine. 

Rhett grabbed the rolling hips above his and rounded his grip to squeeze Link’s ass. Link’s head reared up and he panted out,

“Oh! Fuck...” 

He kissed Rhett’s lips and moaned as they pressed their erections together.

Rhett went for their zippers.

Link sat up and fumbled with his own as Rhett nearly ripped his in his attempt to get it open. 

“You gotta get up for a second, Link.” Link dismounted and Rhett removed his jeans and was just about to take off his boxers, but when he turned around, Link’s pants were still on- he was facing away, crying more and shaking. Rhett walked quickly to his best friend and embraced him from behind, nuzzling his neck and softly kissing whatever his lips could reach,

“Link, baby. Stop crying, love. I’m here. I’m here.” 

Link nodded, unable to stop himself. Nearly hyperventilating, he tried to explain, 

“I’ve just... I’ve- I’ve wanted th-this for s-s-so long.” He continued his unsuccessful attempts to hold back his sobs. 

“My god, Link.” He gingerly turned Link around in his arms enveloped the smaller man in a tight embrace. 

He pulled back his head to kiss the corners of those beautiful blue eyes- kissing the salty tears away. 

“I love you, Link. I’ve always loved you.” Link nodded, biting his lip to stop the tears, 

“I love you, too Rhett. More than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone.” It was Rhett’s turn to cry. He held Link tight against his body, and whispered to his neck, 

“Can I make love to you, Link?”

Link’s eyes welled again, as he nodded,

“Yes.” 

Rhett tried his best to soothe his friend with small kisses and caresses.

He massaged and stroked Link’s arms until they fell limp at his sides, his tears now gone.

“Come on.” He led Link up to the loft. Each creak of the step unlocking a memory. 

The feeling in his knuckles as he punched that bully in the stomach for making fun of Link. 

The hours spent picking out the songs for the Merle Haggard mix tape he gifted to his best friend.

The look on his parent’s faces when he told them how many basketball scholarships he denied so the two boys could attend the same college.

Getting drunk at countless college parties and cuddling on the couch and watching reruns of RoboCop as soon as they got home.

Link’s mind took a similar journey.

The pain in his chest every time Rhett would date a new girl. 

The sting of the glass on his palm as they made the blood oath.

Desperately hiding his despair as he watched the love of his life get married. 

The cold smoothness and light pressure of Rhett’s lips as they kissed through that plexiglass…

They reached the top of the steps and looked into the other’s eyes. They both searched, looking for something. Something they hadn’t accessed in so many years.

Their lips met and both men poured 35 years of emotion into this kiss. 35 years of promise, love, and friendship. The kiss continued for a few minutes, but Rhett was in his boxers and he needed to ease Link out of his jeans. 

“Can I?” He tugged at the jeans. 

“Yeah.” Rhett slid the tight denim off. He was on his knees manuring the fabric off of Links feet when he glanced up. Link was gazing at him with such trust, Rhett had to swallow the lump in his throat as he stood. He closed the distance between them, wrapping an arm around Link’s small waist and petting his face with the other. The warmth and comfort of their bodies together felt intoxicating. 

“I’m gonna touch you, Link.” Rhett’s hand left his face and snaked into Link’s boxer briefs. Link’s knees softened as he let out a small, delicate moan at the illicit touch. 

“Mmmm” he bit his lip. “Yeah….”

Rhett felt the moisture from Link’s precum on his hand and used it to lubricate the process. Link moaned louder. 

Rhett’s body felt as if he were going to pass out. Little tingles of need pricked his skin as he listened to the moans of his best friend. 

“I wanna… I wanna….”

Rhett kissed the incoherent man.

“What do you want, darlin?” 

“I wanna see you.” Rhett stopped pumping.

“Ok.” He slowly removed his hand from inside Link’s briefs and gingerly removed his own boxers. Link’s eyes were immediately full of lust as he eyed the appendage.

“Rhett… I wanna taste you, please. I need to know what you taste like…” He was salivating at the sight of Rhett’s large erection. Rhett swallowed. 

“You sure?” Link nodded profusely, his voice hoarse with need,

“Please. Sit?” Link led Rhett to sit in the center of the futon. He sat with his legs gently splayed, tensing slightly with anticipation. Link opened them a little wider and nestled between them. 

He began hesitantly. Lapping at the tip, placing small kisses down the side before taking all of Rhett into his mouth. Rhett groaned low and with a throaty rumble. Link hummed and moved up and down at a leisurely pace. 

Rhett’s fingers weaved into the salt and peppered hair in his lap. He massaged and gently pulled as the two men enjoyed this unhurried moment. Eventually Rhett got more worked up than he wanted to be. 

“Hold on, baby.” He guided Link off. “I really wanna make love to you.”

Link wiped his mouth and nodded, 

“I want that, too.” He rasped. Rhett bent down to kiss those hard working lips.

“Lie down, baby.”

Link got up from his knees and laid on the couch. Rhett slowly slid the burgundy briefs off of Link and withheld a gasp at Link’s impressive length.

Rhett tore his eyes away as he stood and grabbed lotion from a corner table and doused himself. 

“Gonna put some on you, too.” Rhett pumped some of the lotion onto his fingertips and began massaging it against Link’s entrance. Link whimpered at the contact. 

“You still want this?” Rhett checked.

“More than anything.” Link’s voice broke. 

“Me too. Relax now, baby.” Rhett removed his hand to guide himself in. He pressed against Link. The two men took a synchronized breath and Rhett started to ease in- the over lubrication proving to be a wonderful idea as Rhett nearly slid all the way in. Like the blow job, the men made this moment count, it was slow and purposeful. Rhett moved in and out of Link without desperation, but with an abundance of love and adoration. 

They made love in every sense of the word. Their soft moans and groans music to the dance they had waited so long for. And just as they did with everything else in life- they came together. 

“Oh, oh, oh, Rhett!” Link spilled between the moving bodies, his insides pulsing and pulling Rhett over the edge, 

“Link! Oh god, I love you!”

His head hung limp as he continued to pump and fill his lover, “God, I've loved you for so long.”

He thrust a final few times and fell to Link’s side, still inside him as they kissed again. Sealing the moment. 

They laid there until Rhett slipped out. They hadn't a care about the mess of lotion and cum they made on the futon. They kissed slowly for a few more minutes. _ Just a few more minutes _… and finally stood to get dressed.

They put on their boxers and pants and headed down hand in hand to look for their shirts. They put them on and buttoned each other’s buttons. The men took their time, not wanting the night to be over. 

Rhett sighed after they had fully dressed and walked over to the time capsule. He lifted the photo of them kissing. 

“There’s still time...” he choked out.

“What?” Link wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. Rhett couldn’t have said what he thought he just said. The bearded man turned and walked towards his best friend and grabbed his hand.

“Link. I love you. I don’t know how but...” He lifted up the photo. “We can still have this... it’s not too late.” Link’s eyes were wide and searching.

“Rhett, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying... “ Rhett’s eyes were clear and intense as he communicated his intentions to his new lover, “I’m saying that I will do whatever it takes, lose anything or anyone, give up whatever is necessary... to give us this.”

Link was dumbfounded.

“You... you mean that?”

“I do. We may have misspent these last 35 years but I will spend the next 35 making up for it. I can’t live without…. this. Without you.”

“Oh my god.” Link had no more tears to cry, but his body still found a way to react as his knees gave out. And as always, Rhett was there to catch him.

They kissed and kissed and then promised each other that they would kiss for the rest of time. 

The contents of the time capsule, instilled with the love of friendship, were put away and forever treasured with the love of soulmates. 


End file.
